The National Endowment for Democracy http://developingtomorrow.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/ned/

The Endowment has had a number of successes in the promotion of democracy and human rights on the international stage. The NED claims presence all around the world. They were in Poland for the Solidarity Movement that would eventually help defeat the Soviets. They helped give voice to the Green Movement in Iran. Their presence in the recent Arab uprisings has been discreet, but visibly present.  They have given guidance and aid to people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. As long as there are tyrannical regimes the NED will be fighting for the people and they will not be left to fight by themselves. Each President since the Endowment’s creation has increased spending towards the NED. The NED started out with an annual budget of $18 million. The annual budget and is now over $100 million a year. The greatest contributor to this was President Bush whom raised the bar over $60 million dollars. During a campaign interview in 2008 the future President said he would increase the NED’s funding along with other NGO’s that support civic activists in tyrannical societies.

The international response to the NED has triggered other countries to jump on this NPO democracy movement. Great Brittan has a counter-part called the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Taiwan has formed Institute for National Policy Research whom work closely with the International Forum to develop new foundations.  The Australian government established the Center for Democratic Institutions to provide themselves as a regional structural pillar to strengthen area democracies. European nations launched the European Partnership for Democracy to get their pony in the game. The UN created the United Nations Democracy Fund. Some Arabs have taken to this idea and have started the Arab Democracy Fund. The World Democracy Movement under Guidance of the NED helps coordinate these institutions to build global stability.

[ED NOTES...I WAS JUST DIGGING ,AND FOUND THIS ,IM POSTING IT FOR REFERENCE ON THESE AND OTHER GROUPS MENTIONED ...ESPECIALLY THE WESTMINSTER  FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY AND THEIR ROLE IN ARAB SPRING..IM NOW IN PROCESS OF WATCHING THIS BELOW... WILL DO A FOLLOW UP PIECE ON THIS EVENT MOST LIKELY AND WHO WAS SPEAKING...ENCOURAGE OTHERS DO SAME....    


This year's seminar focused on the Arab revolution. Our co-host for this year’s seminar was the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.The seminar was held on the 10th of June 2011. The debate involved a number of speakers from a wide range of disciplines in order to facilitate an interdisciplinary debate.

IPPR - The Arab Spring, Power of the People. Part 1 from Department of Political Science on Vimeo.

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ippr/ippr-news/250711